Digital Health Innovator Quilt Health Announces $6M Seed and New NASCC Partnership
BOSTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire
Quilt Health, a digital health company dedicated to bridging gaps in treatment access for complex diseases, today announced the successful closure of a $6 million seed funding round, bringing its total funding raised to $8 million. The round was led by MaC Venture Capital and Underscore Ventures, with participation from Meridian Street Capital, BoxGroup, Watershed VC and Coalition Operators. Founded with a focus on sickle cell disease, the company plans to rapidly expand to other hematologic, neurological, and cardiovascular disorders-addressing broader challenges faced by the millions of people living with complex conditions and the clinicians and investigators who care for them.
Quilt Health is modernizing clinical trial access by expanding the number and type of sites included in trials and closing the gap between real-world care and research. Despite decades of innovation in drug development, clinical trials remain plagued by an outdated, inefficient recruitment process-a problem magnified in rare disease research, where patient pools are small and hard to reach, resulting in more than 70% of trials failing to meet enrollment thresholds.
Quilt Health's technology supports clinical workflows by integrating multiple data sources and applying AI to unstructured data to surface key patient characteristics and outcomes. Combined with patient engagement tools, it keeps patients and clinicians connected between visits to improve care and make cutting edge treatments more accessible. For pharmaceutical sponsors, Quilt's network and platform accelerate trial execution, reduce operational costs, and support more representative patient enrollment-a critical factor in improving trial diversity. Research sites and clinician investigators gain access to streamlined workflows, enhanced data collection and communication tools, and hands-on recruitment support, allowing them to focus on delivering high-quality care and research.
In addition to its funding, Quilt Health recently partnered with the National Alliance of Sickle Cell Centers (NASCC), in March 2025. With more than 115 sickle cell centers represented, NASCC's broad reach gives Quilt Health a national network for combining research and patient care. "Together, we are creating a more effective, national, patient-centered ecosystem that speeds up the path to market for life-saving treatments," said Andy Ellner, Founder and CEO of Quilt Health.
"We are delighted to partner with Quilt Health," said Julie Kanter, Founder and President of NASCC. "By matching a purpose built technology solution with the needs of a network of world-class sickle cell centers including multidisciplinary teams of clinicians and researchers, we will drive towards improving the quality OF care and access TO care for people living with Sickle Cell Disease."
The $6 million in seed funding will be utilized to accelerate product development, fuel R&D, and expand the Quilt Health team. In order to ensure its platform reaches the doctors, researchers and patients who stand to gain the most, Quilt Health will also focus on partnering with a network of high quality health systems in regions of the country that have not traditionally benefited from major life sciences focus and investment.
"Quilt Health is tackling one of the most critical barriers in clinical research-patient recruitment and retention-by fundamentally reshaping how trials operate," said Marlon Nichols, Managing Partner at MaC Venture Capital. "Quilt is not just improving healthcare efficiency but reshaping the entire landscape of rare disease research. The team has the potential to be a revolutionary force in providing life-altering therapies to people who need them most thanks to its scalable methodology and patient-first approach."
Echoing this confidence, Brian Devaney, Partner at Underscore VC, adds, "The Quilt Health founding team stands out even in Boston's robust healthcare innovation ecosystem. Andy and Jazmine's proven experience building trust with stakeholders across the healthcare ecosystem makes them uniquely positioned to build a valuable solution for patients, providers, and life sciences companies alike."
About Quilt Health
Quilt Health is a digital health company dedicated to accelerating the path of novel therapies for complex diseases through clinical trials and to market. By integrating research with care, leveraging clinician and patient networks, and deploying cutting-edge technology, Quilt Health streamlines the clinical trial process to improve enrollment, retention, and trial efficiency. Founded in 2024, Quilt Health is initially focused on sickle cell disease, the most common rare disease in the U.S., affecting African, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean populations. Learn more at www.quilthealth.com.
Contact Information
Ali Devaney
Head of Marketing
ali@quilthealth.com